


Laurent's garden

by MissTako



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Gardens & Gardening, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 07:08:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6185383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissTako/pseuds/MissTako
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Are you thinking of gifting me with vegetation as a romantic gesture?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Laurent's garden

**Author's Note:**

> Second fic in this fandom!
> 
> It's quite short, I hope you will enjoy it.
> 
> Happy reading!

“Do you like plants?”

“Plants.” Repeated Laurent, looking at him blankly.

“Yes, plants. Like, flowers, shrubs…”

“Are you thinking of gifting me with vegetation as a romantic gesture?”

“You wouldn’t like it.”

“I didn’t say that.”

As usual, Laurent’s face was relaxed, but perfectly controlled, and Damen was honestly unable to tell if the blond would be happy or offended by a floral gift. Both were equally likely. Laurent didn’t express it well, but he liked sweet gestures, always looking surprised by Damen’s marks of affection. But the King of Vere also hated everything that could damage his reputation by making him look weak, and Damen still didn’t understand Veretian customs well enough to know if flowers were or were not seen as a mark of fragility. He shook his head. No need to catch a headache thinking about that. Veretians were unreadable, and Laurent was their King, especially when it came to such matter.

“That wasn’t what I wanted to ask, not exactly.”

“What a shame, I would love to see the picture you would make, on your knees, holding a floral arrangement. You would make a beautiful flower vase.”

Damen sighed. Laurent really could be insufferable. And he still didn’t know his opinion about flowers.

“I wanted to ask you if you would like to visit my mother’s garden, when we will go to Ios. It suffered a little under Kastor’s care… or lack of, but it’s still a beautiful place. I myself planted some of the flower trees.”

Laurent narrowed his eyes, looking slightly curious.

“Do _you_ like plants, my dear husband? I thought the only art appreciated in Akielos was wrestling naked in the dirt. Not that I complain.”

Damen rolled his eyes, a habit you quickly adopted when you were interacting with Laurent of Vere on a regular basis.

“Yes, I do like plants. And flowers. It is an art in Akielos. Our gardens are quite renowned in Patras. But my intention was not to bring you here to admire the view. I wanted… Forget it, it’s ridiculous. You’ll laugh.”

“Probably. But by all means, keep talking! I don’t want to miss an occasion to laugh at you.”

Damen let escape a smile. Despite the teasing, he could tell Laurent was curious.

“It is traditional for Akielon couples to pronounce the wedding vows in a private place, dear to the heart of the newlyweds. I thought we could do that in my mother’s garden, but I first need to know if it is a place you would find pleasant.”

“We already pronounced our vows Damen. I was certain you were present as well.”

“Yes. But we married at Marlas.”

Despite the painful history of the place, or maybe because of it, they chose the place as their new capital as soon as they managed to appease their two nations, and put down any germ of protestation against their decision to join both kingdoms. They married here, as a symbol of the restauration of the old empire.

Laurent looked like he was thinking. But then, when wasn’t he. His mind was similar to a swarm of bees, always buzzing with plots, ideas and analysis.

“I also have a garden you know.”

Damen wasn’t expecting this answer.

“You do?”

“Yes. But I think it is quite different from yours. Arles doesn’t have the same horrible heat as Ios, we don’t grow the same species.”

“You wouldn’t be too hot if you accepted to wear normal clothing.”

“This i _s_ normal clothing. Not everyone enjoys exposing their naked body for the world to see.”

“Don’t act like nudity scares you. You are the one who let people coming in our chambers when we are naked.”

Laurent frowned.

“You are getting better at back talking.”

“Between you and Jokaste, I have to.”

“My poor barbarian. Maybe you should listen to Nikandros and stop befriending pretty blondes with devious minds.”

“I am married to one and another is the mother of my nephew, I’m afraid it’s not an option.”

“Don’t worry, I am sure your whole guard is pitying you for having to deal with me.”

The words were still teasing, but Damen knew his husband had a tendency to self-depreciation, and felt the need to assert his affection. He rested his hands on Laurent’s hips and brought him closer.

“Maybe, but they don’t know you like I do. I like dealing with you,” he kissed his husband, warm and comforting, “But anyway, you were talking about your garden.”

“Oh, yes! I started it when I was quite young. Fifteen, maybe? It was an important project of mine.”

A project. Of course. Laurent never did things for _fun_. Damen didn’t say that. He wondered what purpose a garden could serve, and said so.

“Maybe it will be easier to show you, since we are in Arles,” he paused, his eyes scanning Damen from head to toes, like he was on a verge of making a comment, “Follow me.”

Damen obediently followed, curious. It wasn’t often that Laurent was willingly talking about his life during the Regent’s reign.

The King of Vere led him to a part of the gardens’ palace Damen hadn’t visited yet. Veretian gardens were beautiful, but perhaps a little too luxurious for Akielon tastes. They entered an area protected by dangerous looking vines, the place looking like it was the end of the royal gardens and a door to the wild forest nearby.

It wasn’t.

Behind the wall of vines, everything was neatly organized and, from what Damen could tell, perfectly taken care of. The plants were beautiful, the majority of them unknown to Damen.

He walked further inside the garden, not noticing that Laurent had stopped at the entrance. On his right, a small tree was bearing big, glossy leaves, with bronze and reddish tinges. A little farther was a patch of colorful bells-like flowers, hanging in grapes from long green spikes.

His attention was attracted by a huge tree in was seemed to be the middle of the hidden garden. There were so many flowers that it was like a golden cloud, little peaks of tender green betraying the presence of foliage.

“It’s beautiful…” murmured Damen.

“You like it?” Laurent was suddenly behind Damen. “How fitting. It is called a golden chain tree. Are you missing your servitude that much?”

“Shut up.”

Damen was smiling. Flowers and trees made him feel close to his late mother. He wondered if it was the same thing for Laurent, but didn’t dare to ask. He knew very little of the last Queen of Vere.

Damen walked between the plants, he often stopped to admire a leave, stroke a delicate petal. Laurent was following him quietly.

Then he stopped abruptly in front of a strange looking tree, enormous pastel pink flowers falling of the branches.

“I know that tree. Aren’t they Angel’s Trumpets? They have highly dangerous effects. In Akielos, they are known for causing amnesia and violent hallucinations.”

“Yes, I am aware.”

Laurent was casually leaning against a trunk, looking unconcerned. Damen narrowed his eyes, noticing something was amiss.

“Why is that tree in a decorative garden?”

“Well, it’s pretty, isn’t it? You know I have a taste for things that are good looking…” he stepped forward, stroking suggestively Damen’s torso, making the Akielon shiver, “and dangerous.”

He walked away.

“Besides. I never said this garden was decorative. I like my hobbies to be useful.”

Confused, Damen followed his husband.

“Oh, and, lover. You should be careful to wash your hands and legs.”

“Why?”

Laurent rolled his eyes, slowing his voice like he was talking to a very young child.

“Because, my dear barbarian, all those plants you stroked tenderly as if they were your lovers are highly poisonous.”

Damen stopped. Of course. It was Laurent. Of course, even as a child, he already started to grow deadly flowers. He probably learned about poisons. Maybe he even used some.

How fitting for Laurent.

Beautiful if you were looking at it from afar.

Deadly if you touched it.

A poison garden.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by The Alnwick Garden, you should really look it up.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, and I will be happy to hear your opinion or corrections o/


End file.
